Pittsburgh pulls the trigger on Rickard Rakell, shipping the Swedish sniper straight to Ottawa in a move that screams salary dump and retool. Penguins GM Kyle Dubas has been fielding calls on Rakell all season, and this deal finally cashes in on his team-friendly contract amid a brutal cap crunch.

Penguins fans have four guys lighting it up in Italy, with Sidney Crosby already dishing two helpers as Team Canada's captain in their opener against Czechia. Erik Karlsson and Rickard Rakell suited up for Sweden in a tough loss to Finland, while Arturs Silovs saw action backing up Latvia in a 5-1 defeat to the U.S., giving up one goal in limited time.

Vancouver's contingent heads to the 2026 Winter Olympics with five players scattered across four nations, and early projections slot Filip Hronek as Czechia's top power-play quarterback alongside stars like Pastrnak and Hertl. Elias Pettersson draws a surprise third-line gig for Sweden with Rakell and Zibanejad, while Teddy Blueger anchors Latvia's second line and PK duties.

Penguins winger Rickard Rakell clears hurdles and slots in for Wednesday's tilt, boosting Pittsburgh's top-six depth at a critical juncture. After stints on the shelf, his timely return injects scoring punch to a lineup chasing playoff positioning. Penguins coaches breathe easier, as Rakell's net-front presence alters matchups league-wide.

Sports Illustrated breaks down the sharpest anytime goal bets for today's slate, zeroing in on Rasmus Dahlin's cannon, Rickard Rakell's hands, and Cole Caufield's sniper scope. Sharp bettors know these picks blend form, matchups, and ice time nobody else crunches as deep. Vegas lines shift fast when these names heat up, so front-load your parlays.